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Cooling SystemQuestionCommunity Starter

Need advice: A/C is cold while driving, warm at stoplights

TireSeller35Community StarterMay 28, 20262006 Mazda RX-8 SportChicago
2006 Mazda RX-8 Sport, about 118,000 miles. A/C gets properly cold on the highway but becomes noticeably warmer at long lights. It cools down again almost immediately once the car is moving. Could this still be a refrigerant issue or does that point more toward airflow/fans?
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3 replies

JDMLearner79Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 29, 2026permalink
Intermittent stuff lies if you only catch it once. Two 2006 Mazda RX-8s can feel identical and have different causes, so measure before you copy someone else's repair. You'll know quickly if you're on the wrong tree. On “a/c is cold while driving, warm at,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2006 Mazda RX-8 in Chicago with 118,000 miles. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. Video is ugly but it shows the hesitation.
JDMLearner79Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 30, 2026permalink
Not convinced that's the whole story. Move a coil or plug on the 2006 Mazda RX-8 if it's cylinder-specific and see whether the code follows. You'll know quickly if you're on the wrong tree. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. If the story changes I'll post the new data.
EVGuy5Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 29, 2026permalink
Log the conditions before you spend. Write temp, speed, and in-gear vs coast when the 2006 Mazda RX-8 does it — then decide on parts. If the cheap test changes it, stop and reassess. On “a/c is cold while driving, warm at,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2006 Mazda RX-8 in Chicago with 118,000 miles. Run the total, not the monthly, before you commit. Climate here is different, so treat that as a local data point. Parking it somewhere I can hear it better next time.
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